Slip ’n’ slide into summer

In a matter of minutes, students at Webster Elementary ran out of the school building Tuesday in excitement for summer, heading home to mark the end of the school year.

The students were already hyped up with a field day, finishing the day with water balloons and squirt guns; a few were still a little wet from the festivities. Some hugged teachers goodbye, who wished them a happy summer. Others met parents with backpacks full of end-of-year leftovers from their desks. Crossing guards helped students safely navigate the roads, then it was all quiet in the halls and on the playground — at least until school starts again in the fall.

However, some of the students at Webster won’t be returning and instead will be moving on to Jenifer Middle School. One of those students is fifth grader Brayden Hawkins, who said he isn’t nervous about making the change to another school. “I got some friends there,” he said on his last day of elementary school. He’s also looking forward to the summer and already has family coming into town this week.

Jaimie Crawford was waiting at the school to pick up her two sons, Gabriel and Michael. Michael is also making the transition to middle school from being a fifth grader. She said he’s a little nervous and hoping the teachers are as kind as they are at Webster.

Her son, Gabriel, is a kindergartener, but the adjustment to all-day school was easy for him because he went to the Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program for preschool, which was also full-day program. Crawford said Gabriel is still enjoying his experience as a full-time learner. “I think the teachers here are great and we love the school,” Crawford said.

Mandy Campbell was also at Webster to pick her kindergartener, Lizzie, and first grader, Parker. Her kids enjoy school, but she is happy to have her kids home for the summer.

“I want them back, then we can go do things,” Campbell said. She has a whole list of summer activities that include dance for her daughter and karate for her son, birthday parties at the Asotin County Family Aquatic Center and at 360 Gymnastics and Cheer, participating in the Summer Reading program, and “we’re gonna try to do some camping.”

Even with all those events ahead, her kids were excited for the last day of school for another reason — the water activities planned for the last day of school. That was a highlight for Ginny Hannah, a fourth grader who is now officially a fifth grader. Her favorite water activity was the slip ’n’ slide.

Although she’s looking forward to her summer vacation to the Museum of the Rockies in Montana, she’s a little unhappy to see the school year pass by. “I’m kinda sad I’m not going to be a fourth grader, ever, ever again,” she said. “I really enjoyed my friends.”

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.